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Searching for the Pulsar in G18.95-1.1: Discovery of an X-ray Point Source and Associated Synchrotron Nebula with Chandra

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Abstract

  • Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, we have pinpointed the location of a faint X-ray point source (CXOU J182913.1-125113) and an associated diffuse nebula in the composite supernova remnant (SNR) G18.95-1.1. These objects appear to be the long-sought pulsar and its wind nebula. The X-ray spectrum of the point source is best described by an absorbed power-law model with ? = 1.6 and an NH of ~1 × 1022 cm-2. This model predicts a relatively low unabsorbed X-ray luminosity of about LX (0.5-8.0 keV) ~= 4.1 × 1031 D 2 2 erg s-1, where D 2 is the distance in units of 2 kpc. The best-fit model of the diffuse nebula is a combination of thermal (kT = 0.48 keV) and non-thermal (1.4 is the distance in units of 2 kpc. The best-fit model of the diffuse nebula is a combination of thermal (kT = 0.48 keV) and non-thermal (1.4 is the distance in units of 2 kpc. The best-fit model of the diffuse nebula is a combination of thermal (kT = 0.48 keV) and non-thermal (1.4 X ~= 5.4 × 1033 D 2 2 erg s-1 in the 0.5-8 keV energy band seems to be largely dominated by the thermal component from the SNR, providing 87% of LX in this band. No radio or X-ray pulsations have been reported for CXOU J182913.1-125113. If we assume an age of ~5300 yr for G18.95-1.1 and use the X-ray luminosity for the pulsar and the wind nebula together with the relationship between spin-down luminosity (via magnetic dipole radiation) and period, we estimate the pulsar's period

Publication Date

  • 2010

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